clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Walk-off Homer for Edwin Encarnacion, JAYS WIN

Must be one of the greatest playoff games of all time.

By Tom Dakers
MLB: AL Wild Card-Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Orioles 2 Blue Jays 5 (11 innings)

Until the 11th our offense, once again we couldn’t get hits when we needed them. But then, Edwin Encarnacion, with 1-out in the 11th, hit a walk-off home run.

To set it up, with 1-out in the inning. Buck Showalter brought Ubaldo Jimenez into the game. Jimenez gave up singles to Devon Travis and Josh Donaldson. I was sure Showalter would pull him at that spot. Zach Britton still hadn’t been in the game.

Instead he leaves him in to face Edwin. First pitch was the game winner. If Britton isn’t injured, Showalter has to be fired.

Before that we didn’t do much.

We scored on a Jose Bautista solo homer in the second inning and a Ezequiel Carrera single, driving home Michael Saunders in the 5.

We did manage to hit into 3 double plays. Hard to believe when we only had 7 baserunners (before the 11th, not counting the Bautista homer). The one that hurt the most was in the 9th inning, Josh Donaldson (off a leadoff double) and Edwin Encarnacion (intentional walk) on first and second with one out (Bautista strike out on a check swing) when Russell Martin ground one straight at third for an easy 5-4-3 double play.

Once again, we got terrific pitching.

Marcus Stroman gave us 6 excellent innings (helped along by some terrific defense when he needed it). There was one bad moment, Mark Trumbo hit a 2-run homer (not clearing the wall by all that much). In total just 4 hits, no walks and 6 strikeouts in his 6 innings. He came out after 81 pitches. Played perfectly, I think, by Gibby.

Our bullpen did great as well:

  • Brett Cecil got an out and a walk, to start the 7th.
  • Joe Biagini cleaned up getting 2 strikeouts.
  • Jason Grill had a clean 8th.
  • Roberto Osuna got 2 strikeouts in the 9th and the first out in the 10th, when he was pulled with some sort of injury.
  • Francisco Liriano came in with 1 out in the 10th and got out of the inning. And pitched a scoreless 11th. He got the win.

Jays of the Day: Edwin (.126 WPA, I thought it would higher), Liriano (.214), Osuna (.195, please don’t be hurt), Grilli (.106), Donaldson (.284).

We won so I’m not giving any suckage awards, but if I did: Travis (-.240), Martin (-.296) and Tulo (-.134).

BRING ON THE RANGERS!!!!

More From Bluebird Banter